Giants GM Brian Sabean on trade talk, the rise of Francisco Peguero, the battles of Kensuke Tanaka and the platoon of Gregor Blanco and Andres Torres

Despite a flood of players getting optioned or reassigned to minor-league camp, the big-league roster remains a work in progress. Especially with the second utility spot.

Among the cuts were infielders Nick Noonan and Brock Bond. Kensuke Tanaka has seven of the team’s 15 errors. Tony Abreu, who’s out of options, has been limited to two at-bats because of a quadriceps injury. And Wilson Valdez, hitting .261, hasn’t showed enough versatility defensively.

In a Chronicle interview today with GM Brian Sabean, we know the Giants are thrilled with the emergence of Francisco Peguero as a possible backup outfielder, still want to see Abreu and are happy about their prospects for the final bullpen spot.

Sabean: “I think we’re more pleased with the choices we may have for the 12th pitcher and perhaps with (Gregor) Blanco and (Andres) Torres probably platooning, and it seems like Peguero has stepped up – he might be a front-runner for the extra outfielder – vs. someone rearing his head as a utility infielder. We still have time, and Abreu needs to play more. We have to take a look at him.”

Peguero is hitting .424 with 14 hits, one fewer than team leader Brandon Belt.

“He’s making a conscious effort to use the whole field and has had much better at-bats against right-handed pitching,” Sabean said. “He’s played a lot of baseball, including winter ball. Maybe this is his time to come on.”

While Tanaka seems destined for Triple-A Fresno, Sabean isn’t ruling out a big-league job for the Japanese infielder.

“There’s still time, but it’s always up to the player especially with someone like him who has the experience he’s got, playing every day in Japan, although two years there he’s had some injury problems,” Sabean said. “There are adjustments, including speed of the game and, playing in Arizona, how hard the fields are.

“It’s about repetition. Unfortunately for him, he’s so ingrained in being a second baseman, it’s not so easily done (to play shortstop and third base) even though he’s got all the experience in the world. The different angles of the ball. Timing and speed of the game at different positions.”

With No. 2 catcher Hector Sanchez slowed by shoulder and calf ailments and no one stepping up yet to be the second utility guy behind Joaquin Arias, what about trade possibilities?

“I can’t answer that,” Sabean said. “We have a lot of eyes in Arizona and Florida looking at everybody’s rosters, see what happened with releases, six-year free agents who don’t make major-league teams who have outs in their contracts if they don’t get put on thee major-league rosters. You start first in your own camp and develop some other choices.”